Low-cost metal 3D printing system developed by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur
29 June 2022: Media reports state that engineers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur, have developed their own low-cost metal 3D printing system based on Directed Energy Deposition (DED) technology.
The machine is special in that it was largely indigenously developed, meaning all of the components except the laser and KUKA robotic arm were designed and manufactured by the IIT team in India. The main aim of the project was to slash the cost of metal 3D printing technology in the country, while garnering more users and driving adoption.
According to Dr. Ravi K. R., an Associate Professor at IIT Jodhpur, their study results show that if all the parts needed to make a metal printing machine could be manufactured indigenously, the cost of a metal 3D printing machine could be reduced by two to three times.
Suitable for use in aerospace, defence, and other engineering sectors, the homegrown 3D printer is designed primarily for laser cladding and maintenance and repair applications, adding material to existing metal components.
The robotic arm-based IIT 3D printer operates on DED technology, a form of 3D printing that leverages a focused energy source to melt and fuse materials as they’re deposited out of a nozzle. This energy source can be an electron beam or a plasma arc, but this particular model utilizes the commonly-used laser beam.
Capable of 3D printing metal powders produced in India, the system reportedly features the country’s first variable spot size laser optics that can preserve laser beam homogeneity.
Additionally, the team has even developed a dedicated tool path planning software and coaxial nozzle for the 3D printer. They have also integrated in-situ monitoring processes that track the temperature of the melt pool and thickness of the printed clad at all times, enabling high-performance industrial applications to be realized.
The IIT team asserts that affordable metal 3D printing technologies, particularly ones developed in India, will play a key role in helping the nation keep up with the rest of the world.
